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Former Central Dauphin High football player accused of slapping woman, punching police officer

Daylin Russo.jpg

Former Central Dauphin football player Daylin Russo was criminally charged after being accused of slapping a woman and punching a Carnegie Mellon University police officer. In this 2012 photo, he is pictured center on the back of the ball carrier.
(CHRIS KNIGHT, The Patriot-News)

A former Central Dauphin High School football player was arrested last month after he was accused of slapping a woman in the face and punching a Carnegie Mellon University police officer.

Daylin Joseph Russo, 18, listed as a freshman linebacker for Carnegie Mellon, was charged with aggravated assault, simple assault, resisting arrest and underage drinking. Ken Walters, a spokesman for the private Pittsburgh university, declined comment Wednesday on Russo's status with the school and football team.

The alleged incident that led to Russo's arrest occurred April 12 during the university's Spring Carnival weekend, police said.

Michael Cavaliere was one of two university police officers who were called at 6:04 p.m. to the Stever House Dormitory, Cavaliere wrote in charging documents.

The officers arrived to find a woman who was crying. The woman told police that she and Russo were drinking in his dorm room when an argument started, Cavaliere said.

She told police that Russo hit her two or three times with an open hand in her right cheek. That left that side of her face noticeably swollen, Cavaliere reported. The woman also said it was not the first time that a physical altercation had occurred between her and Russo, according to Cavaliere.

University police Sgt. Nello Bruno then arrived at the scene and the officers reported knocking repeatedly on Russo's dorm room door. Hearing no response and acting on the report that Russo was intoxicated, the officers said they entered his dorm room to ensure his safety.

Cavaliere reported finding Russo laying on his bed and facing a wall. The officers tried to get his attention by yelling his name, but he didn't respond, leading them to eventually pull him from his bed.

As Russo regained consciousness, Cavaliere reported that he refused to follow their orders to lay down on his stomach. While he resisted, Russo struck Cavaliere twice with a closed fist in his right arm, the officer said.

Russo continued to struggle with the officers as they attempted to put handcuffs on him, but he was eventually placed under arrest at 6:21 p.m., Cavaliere said. The officer also reported suffering a cut on his left hand during the incident.

Police found an open bottle of liquor on the desk in Russo's room during their investigation, Cavaliere said.

Russo was not required to post bail and was released from police custody after his arrest, court records show. He is scheduled to appear Thursday for a preliminary court hearing.

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